Railroad-switch



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. F. A. EDDY.

RAILROAD SWITCH.

No. 269,398. Patented Dec! 19, 1882.

MKS a.

ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

0. F. A EDDY.

RAILROAD SWITCH.

No. 269,398. Patented Dec. 19.18821 U'III'IIIII'I'IIA IQ v l! 1% w s 3 WITNESSES v INV'ENTOR:

I ATTORNEY S.

N. PETERS PlwwLnhn ru hcv, Washington. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. A. EDDY, OF GREENFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

RAILROAD-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,3Z98, dated December 19, 1882.

(No model.)

To all whom 'it'may concern Be it'known that I, CHARLES F. A. EDDY, of Greenfield, in the county of Franklin and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Railroad-Switch, of which the following is a fnll,clear, and exact description.

My invention consists of a latch and spring contrivance with the switch-bar and switchrail, whereby the spring will set the switch for main line automatically when detached from the latch'of the switch-bar.

It also consists of devices whereby the latch maybe detached by the flange of the pilotwheel of the locomotive, to enable it to be set for main line by the spring in advance of the wheels, when the locomotive is running along the mainline from rear of the switch.

It also consists of a contrivance of devices in combination with the latch andspring device, whereby the attachment on the locomotive will unlatch the switch either way the locomotive may go, at the will of the engineer, all as hereinafter fully described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a plan view of a railroad-switch constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective "iew of the pilot-wheels of the locomotive and some of the attachments tor unlatching the switch by the locomotive at the will of the engineer. Fig. 3 isasection of Fig. 2.. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a block for supporting one of the devices of the nnlatching or tripping apparatus, and Figs. 5 and 6 are details of the latch device of the switch-rail in larger size. Fig. 7 is an enlarged section of Fig. 1 on line a: w.

I make the switch-rail partly of a cast-iron plate, a, and partly of a steel point, I), which I rivet or bolt together, as at c, the casting being for the support of the steel point, and for securing it in position, and also for the connection of latch-block d, and the point being for the wheels to run on, and to be taken 011' for repairs or removal when required. The

casting is pivoted to the tie at d for turning,

so as to set the switch for main line or siding, and it has a notch at e in the block d for the latch f of the switch-bar g to engage it for set of a train coming onto the main line from the siding, so as to shift the switch in case it is set for the main line sufficiently for the wheels to pass it onto the rail m. i

In order to enable the pilot-wheels to trip the switch in case it is set for the siding when a train is required to pass along the main line to the right hand of the drawings, I have provided the pointed trip-lever p to be pressed down at its pointed end p to detach thelatch f, said lever being pivoted to the side of the switch-rail b at q, and resting at its pointed end on the latch in such manner (Fig. 7) that the flange of the wheel passing over it will depress it and disengage the latch trom notch e, and allow the spring lo to set the switch for the main line. The lever 19 will bear on latch fsutficiently distant from its hook-head to allow the switch-rail to swing back into cavity 0 without conflict with the head. This lever 12 is designed to beso shaped along the upper edge at p as to allow the switch-rail b to hear so closely against the side of main rail m as to prevent all danger of the wheel-flanges running between it and main rail when the switch is set for the train to run on it; at the same time it is fitted so closely to the switchwhen the switch rail is open exists, even should the switch-rail fail to close into cavity- 0; but the switch r-ail is etfectually prevented from failing to act, as described, by box 0 of the guard-rail, which is to prevent any obstruction of said rail. The switch -rail has prongs a projecting under rail 'm, to prevent the switch-rail from rising. This arrangement is for tripping the switch only when the train is passing along the main line toward right hand of the drawings, which is always required in case the switch is set for the siding;

rail that no danger of striking-the front of it I but it frequently happens that when the train is going in the other direction the switch, it set for the siding, is required to be tripped, and in this case it is necessary to trip it before the wheels arrive at the points of the switchrails, which cannot be done as when going in the other direction. For this purpose 1 have provided a tripping-rail, p, in connection with the switch, and tripping-rollers q on the locomotive to actuate it. The rail 19 is located along rail m a little outside of it, and also a little higher, and pivoted at its ends, which are curved downward, as shown at s, by pivots t in slots to of blocks to over springs a in said slots. The rail p reaches a suitable distance each way from the switch-bar, and'it crosses over said switch-bar, and is connected under bar g to another bar, N, at 0 which bar is connected with eccentric d also worked by switch-leveri, and so arranged with respect to eccentric it that when the latter pulls switchrail 1) up to main rail m by latchfrailp will be turned upright, as in Fig. 7, ready for. tripping, the arrangement being such that as the switchbar slides forward and backward switch-leveri will also swing the rail p on its pivots, turning it upright when said bar is shifted for setting the switch for the siding,and downward, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 7 and in dotted lines in Fig. 1, when the switch is set for the main line, and the bar is shifted with it. A steady-pivot, 6 is arranged in the slotted arm f", by which. rail 19 is connected to bar 11 to prevent it from springing out of line laterally. This pivot is in line with pivots t, and the rail is capable of rising and falling on it. The rollers g on the locomotive are to strike this rail 1) on its curved ends 8, and depress it so that it will detach the latchf; andin order that they may pass rail 1) without nnlatching the switch in case it is Wanted to run onto the switch, said rollers are mounted on the cranks z of a shalt, a, which is connected by an arm, 1), rod 0, and other suitable contrivances with a working-lever ora steam or compressed-air cylinder in the cab, whereby the engineer may set the rollers for tripping the switch, or swing them up when the switch is not to be tripped. By this means the switch is under the control of the engineer whichever way the train may be running. The latch-bar g is pivotjointed atf to facilitate the working of the latch; but I it may be used without, the bar being capable -1 of sp-ringingsufliciently. The shaft a has stoparrangement; but they may be attached to any other part, as preferred.

It will be seen that this improved switchcan be worked by the lever t'without regard to the tripping device.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with theswitch-rail and the main railm, of a latching switch-bar and a sliding and spring-pressed block, 61, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of trip-lever p with the latch-barf, spring 70, and the switch-rail, substantially as described.

3. The guard-rail having'cavity 0,in combination with the switch-railhavinglatch-block at, substantially as described.

4. 'The combination, with the rollers q on the locomotive, and means, substantially as herei n shown and described, for operating the same, of a pivoted tripping-rail, p, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of the tripping railp, and rollers g on the locomotive, with the latchbarf and with the switch-rail and spring 7., substantially as described.

6. The tripping-rail 1), pivoted in the slotted blocks wand on springs 00, in combination with the la ch-barf and tripping-rollers q, substantially as described.

7. The tripping-rail 1), arranged on pivots t, and connected to switch-lever i by bar 11 and eccentric d arranged with respect -to eccentric h and switch-bar g, substantially as described.

8. The combination of prongs a with the switch-rail b and the main rail m,substantially as described.

9. The combination of stay -pivot (2 with tripping-railp, mounted on pivots t, supported on springs :10, substantially as described.

CHARLES F. A. EDDY.

Witnesses:

. AUSTIN DEWoLn,

O. ALLEN. 

